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A review by jazhandz
A Quantum Love Story by Mike Chen
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I’m a huge Mike Chen fan, and so was excited to receive an eARC of this book, thanks to NetGalley! Opinions are my own.
I enjoy a crunchy scifi, and this book manages some crunch while still remaining human and character-driven. How do you escape a time loop? It’s not so easy as living life the right way and learning a lesson. I appreciate that this book doesn’t shy away from the science aspects of science fiction. (Not to mention some really lovely subtle worldbuilding.)
The thinnest part of this book is the romance - I completely believed that Carter and Mariana had a connection, but not the way that it played out. I gladly would’ve preferred some of the flashback stuff get trimmed down in exchange for a better-paced romance. And this is just a personal preference, but I tend not to enjoy books where 80% of chapters are from one character’s point of view, because it’s a little jarring to have the other 20%.
Despite that, I thought Mariana and Carter were terrific characters, and I loved the way they got to know each other. (My love language is also food, so I get it.) Overall this is a charming and emotional read. Like a less crunchy Ars Paradoxica.
I enjoy a crunchy scifi, and this book manages some crunch while still remaining human and character-driven. How do you escape a time loop? It’s not so easy as living life the right way and learning a lesson. I appreciate that this book doesn’t shy away from the science aspects of science fiction. (Not to mention some really lovely subtle worldbuilding.)
The thinnest part of this book is the romance - I completely believed that Carter and Mariana had a connection, but not the way that it played out. I gladly would’ve preferred some of the flashback stuff get trimmed down in exchange for a better-paced romance. And this is just a personal preference, but I tend not to enjoy books where 80% of chapters are from one character’s point of view, because it’s a little jarring to have the other 20%.
Despite that, I thought Mariana and Carter were terrific characters, and I loved the way they got to know each other. (My love language is also food, so I get it.) Overall this is a charming and emotional read. Like a less crunchy Ars Paradoxica.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Animal death and Dementia
Confinement/isolation in a metaphysical time loop sense, not a literal jail-cell sense.
I wouldn’t call it dementia, but memory loss is a plot point. If you are sensitive to stories about a loved one’s memory fading, this might be difficult.